Press Release

Singapore GP set to ignite the Marina Bay Circuit Park with the best of Singaporeâ€™s cuisine, entertainment and clubs

Singapore, 18 September 2008 - In a milestone for Formula One™ races, Singapore will see the likes of Zouk, the world famous Raffles Long Bar and even 24 of the islands best hawkers all within the circuit park. There will be slots covered by international artists like Bob Marley’s Wailers, Dim Sum Dollies and the Coyote Ugly girls. The organisers of the inaugural 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix will go way beyond just staging Singapore’s largest sporting event. A fiesta of sound and colour is being put together to tantalise and engage the senses.

Singapore GP Pte Ltd has lined up a varied programme for race fans timed to complement the action on the track.

Zouk, one of the world’s most iconic clubs will have a mega stage on the Padang creating the vibe that has made them an icon in the global club arena. Musical ambassador Carl Cox will be spinning there on Saturday. Patrons can also expect Zouk’s resident DJs as well as trance masters Agnelli and Nelson.

The line up of live music has been selected to appeal to a broad spectrum of tastes. The godfathers of reggae, The Wailers, will be doing sets at the Padang and Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. The stunning Sa Ding Ding from China will combine traditional Chinese folk music with Western electronica and influences of classical and soul. Hailing from France is Cyril Niccolai with his distinctive rock style. Race patrons will also be able to enjoy the Fab Four Australian Beatles Show.

The Bellini Room house band and La Ranura from MOVIDA will be taking the stage at our circuit park.

Singapore GP will also feature strong representation from the local music scene with favourites like Vocaluptuous, K’Ass, Soul Circle, London Fog and New Asia. Our Singapore songbirds Alemay Fernandez, Lily Anna Nuris and Dawn Ho will take everyone from soul to bossa nova jazz and pure rock.

Home grown teenage opera star Janani Sridhar and 2005 HSBC Youth Excellence Award recipient presented to her by President S.R Nathan will be singing the Singapore National Anthem prior to the final race on Sunday 28th September. Singapore GP will be flying Janani home from the prestigious Oberlin College in the US where she had managed to obtain the Conservatory Dean’s Scholarship for her studies. Janani has performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and won the 6th Asian Youth Music Competition.

Humour comes in the form of our very own Dim Sum Dollies taking the stage at the Padang and the northern loop, as well as Austin Powers lookalike Austin Flowers with his bevy of women will also be racing up and down the grandstands.

Patrons can look forward to a historic car display amongst which is a yellow 1926 Rolls Royce, believed to be one of the oldest in the region.

Certain trees around the circuit park will come alive as faces slowly come out amongst our lush greenery with a site specific visual art project called Humanature.

"The entertainment on offer is a great mix of audio and visual treats that will enhance the exciting atmosphere of the first Formula One™ night race" says Sarah Martin, Singapore GP Senior Consultant of Circuit Park and Events. "There are numerous discoveries to be made as you move through the circuit park, be it the singing waiters in the Hawker Village or the legendary Wailers making the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre come alive".

Sarah Martin, formerly from the WOMAD organisation responsible for festivals in countries from Singapore, Korea, Sri Lanka and New Zealand joins forces with Michael Roche and Alastair Hunt from regional concert promoter Lushington Entertainment to deliver a complete entertainment experience.

The energy off track will be maintained with the sounds of international DJs like the renowned Nitin Sawhney Sound System and our local Rajesh Hardwani.

A further slice of Singapore’s vibrant clubbing and night life scene can be found throughout the circuit park with the likes of Cafe Del Mar, Hard RockCafe, Dbl 0 and Balaclava. In the northern loop, our very own version of the historic Raffles Long Bar will figure predominantly.

"We want patrons to experience Singapore’s dynamic night-life by involving some of the island’s best known bars and clubs," says Alastair Hunt, Circuit Park and Events Manager. "People coming for the race will be able to party with some of the best names in entertainment".

Restaurants and bars will be strategically located alongside entertainment venues to maximise spectator experience. For example, patrons at the specially created Hawker Village at Connaught Drive run by Food Republic can enjoy an array of local fare whilst watching the Coyote Ugly dance set on Saturday or enjoy the antics of the roving artists.

Patrons can choose to indulge in their favourite food from some of the most popular names in international and local cuisine, including Rang Mahal, Tung Lok, Old Chang Kee and Din Tai Fung.

The inaugural 2008 FORMULA 1™ SingTel Singapore Grand Prix took place on 28 September 2008 on a street circuit of public roads around the Marina Bay area. The race was the first Formula One™ to be held at night, and the first Formula One™ street race in Asia. Over 100,000 spectators, a sell-out, capacity crowd, watched the Singapore Grand Prix trackside. Over 30 million TV viewers in the five main European markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, are estimated to have watched the live coverage of the race.